O that all in church office, out of the State Church as well as in it, would remember the beautiful words of Paul (1 Thess. ii. 7,8): "But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children. So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us."

On the other hand, members are affectionately warned of their duty to those whom the church has chosen to office, because Christ has gifted them for it. "And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you, in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves." (1 Thess. v. 12, 13.) "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you.” (Heb. xiii. 7 and 17). "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject to one another" (1 Pet. v. 5).

From passages such as these, the true spirit of Christian rule and Christian obedience is abundantly apparent. Obedience to lawful authority is not slavery, disobedience to it is disorder; and what authority more lawful, than that which originated in the gift of Christ's spirit, and has been attested to us by the election of our church?

Again, the Christian ruler may allow no feeling in his bosom but that of a servant, ready, like his master (John xiii. 1-17, Matt. xxi. 28), to do the most menial or self-denying service for any brother. The member obeys without degradation,—the officer rules without self-exaltation. word, the New Testament says to every officer, "rule in love," to every member, "obey in love;" yea, "let all your things be done with love.” (1 Cor. xvi. 14.)

In a

O happy period when earthly governments shall vanish in the holy subordinations of church-fellowship! Happy for the church, and for the world too, when the oneness of Christ's disciples, in him, shall convince the world of the divinity of their Master's mission.

How different a rule and an obedience like that described above is, from the ecclesiastical obedience enforced by constables, prisons, and even bayonets, to the dictates of an Established Church, we need not stay to point out. It seems, indeed, profane to compare them. Scripture speaks of worldly establishments not as churches at all-it gives their appropriate description Rev. xvii. 1-6, to which we refer our readers.

THE LOST CHILD.

C.

The following story may serve to illustrate the passage in Luke xv. 7, or impress it on the mind:-Some time since, a child in the country was lost in the woods. He was sent with his brothers and sisters gathering berries, and accidentally was separated from them and lost. The children, after looking in vain for some time in search of the little wanderer, returned, just in the dusk of the evening, to inform their parents that their brother was lost. The woods at that time were infested with bears. The alarmed father, gathering a few of his neighbours, hastened in search of the lost child: the mother remained at home, almost distracted. As the clouds gathered and the darkness increased, the father and neighbours traversed the woods in all directions, and raised loud shouts to attract the attention of the child. But their search was in vain. They could find no trace of him; and as they stood under the boughs of the trees and listened, that if possible they might hear his feeble voice, no sound was borne to their ears but the melancholy moaning of the wind. What were the feelings of the father, and how deep the agony of that mother, as she heard the wind and beheld the darkness in which her child was wandering? The search continued in vain till nine o'clock in the evening. Then one of the party

was sent back to the village, to collect the inhabitants for a more extensive search. The bell rung the alarm, and the cry of fire resounded through the streets. It was, however, ascertained, that it was not fire which caused the alarm, but that the bell tolled the more solemn tidings of a lost child. Every heart sympathized in the sorrows of the poor parents. Soon the multitudes of people were ascending the hill upon which the village was situated, to aid in the search. Ere long the rain began to fall; but no tidings came of the lost child. Hardly an eye was that night closed in sleep. The night passed away and the morning dawned, and yet no tidings came. At last those engaged in the search, met together and held a consultation. They made arrangements for a minute and extended search, and agreed that in case the child was found, a gun should be fired to give a signal to the rest of the party. The morning sun dispelled the clouds, but the village was deserted and still. Mothers were walking with anxious hearts. There was but one thought there what was become of the lost child? About nine in the morning the signal-gun was fired, which announced that the child was found: and for a moment how dreadful was the suspense! Was it found a mangled corpse, or was it still alive and well? Soon a joyful shout proclaimed the safety of the child. The shout was borne from tongue to tongue, till the whole forest rung again with the joyful acclamations of the multitude. A messenger rapidly bore the tidings to the distracted mother. A procession was immediately formed by those engaged in the search. The child was placed upon a platform, hastily constructed from the boughs of trees, and borne in triumph at the head of the procession. When they arrived at the brow of the hill, they rested for a moment, and proclaimed their success with loud and animated cheers. The procession then moved on, till they arrived in front of the dwelling where the parents of the child resided. The mother, who stood at the door with streaming eyes and throbbing heart, could no longer restrain herself or her feelings. She rushed into the

street, clasped her child to her bosom, and wept aloud. Every eye was suffused with tears, and for a moment all were silent. But suddenly some one gave a signal for a shout. One loud, and long, and happy note of joy now arose from the assembled multitude, and they then dispersed to their business and their homes.

Now, there was more joy over the one child that was found, than over the ninety and nine that went not astray. Likewise, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God, over one sinner that repenteth. But still, this is a feeble representation of the love of our Father in heaven for us, and of the joy with which the angels welcome the returning sinner. The mother cannot feel for her child that is lost, as God feels for the unhappy wanderers in the paths of sin. The child was exposed to a few hours of suffering: the sinner to eternal despair. The child was in danger of being torn by the claws and teeth of the bear-a pang which would be but for a moment; but the sinner must feel the ravages of the never-dying worm,-must be exposed to the fury of the inextinguishable flame. Oh! if a mother can feel so much, what must be the feelings of our Father in heaven? If man can feel so deep a sympathy, what must be the emotions which glow in the bosoms of angels? What encouragement there is, then, for a sinful wanderer to return to God, and how sure the poor broken-hearted sinner is of meeting with a cordial and welcome reception.

BAPTIST FOREIGN MISSIONS.

AFRICA. We have the gratifying intelligence to communicate, that our dear Brother Clarke, with his beloved wife, Mr. and Mrs. Saker, and the Christian band from Jamaica, arrived in safety and in health at Fernando Po, on Friday, February the 16th. They had a most affectionate reception, and four or five hundred assembled at the Mission-House in the evening, to give thanks to God. Many fervent prayers were offered by the Clarence and Jamaica brethren. Addresses were delivered by Mr. Clarke and

Dr. Prince, and a deep and hallowed feeling pervaded the meeting. Mr. Sturgeon says, "to describe the reception of our dear brother Clarke is impossible. The respectable inhabitants of Clarence pay him that peculiar respect which he so well deserves; while our own friends are greeting him, in every direction, with 'Massa, me glad for see you, for true.' 'Me like you too much.' 'Me no tink me see you more; but now me eye look, me heart fill up too much.' 'Tank God for dis. Massa come to tell we God palaver.'" The joy of the brethren and friends was soon, however, turned into sorrow. In a subsequent communication, Mr. Merrick says Mr. Clarke had been dangerously ill, and was still very weak. "So dangerous," he adds, 66. was his case, that Dr. Prince entertained painful apprehensions of his decease, and recommended us at once to resort to the Throne of Grace, and make special supplication for his recovery. This was done by brethren Saker and Fuller, the Dr. and myself, and God heard and answered us. A change for the better was soon manifest; yet Dr. Prince thought it necessary to be present with our brother all the night. Humanly speaking, had it not been for the close attention and medical skill of our 'beloved physician,' we had, by this time, committed the body of our dear brother to the silent tomb; but God had 'mercy on him, and not on him only, but on us also, lest we should have sorrow on sorrow. Mr. Clarke has since been gradually gaining strength. Mrs. Clarke, also, had been seriously ill, and the greater part of the friends from Jamaica were poorly of fever, when the last accounts came away.

999

Let the prayers of the church, in public, at the domestic altar, and in private, be ceaselessly offered for our beloved brethren and sisters in this land of death.

They have not counted their lives dear unto them, nor are they "afraid for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that wasteth at noon-day." Then, let us pray that God will deliver them; that with long life he will satisfy them, and shew them his salvation.

The Mission is in a prosperous and

promising state. numbers forty-four members, with one hundred and eighty inquirers. The schools are flourishing. Forty couples have been married. In other parts of the Island, and on the continent of Africa, our brethren have been kindly received, both by the princes and the people; and in every place which they have visited "a great door and effectual, is opened unto" them. Ethiopia Is stretching out her hands unto God. P. J. S.

The church at Clarence

MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE.

THE BAPTIST WEST-RIDING ASSOCIATION. -The Annual Meetings of this body were held this year at the Baptist Chapel, Salendine-Nook, near Huddersfield. Mr. Scott of Shipley, was chosen Moderator. The spacious new chapel was crowded during all the services, which were held four times each day on Wednesday and Thursday, the 29th and 30th of May, 1844. On Wednesday a prayer-meeting was held early in the morning. After breakfast, Mr. Larom of Sheffield, preached from Gen. iii. 15: "I will put enmity between thee and the woman," &c. In the afternoon, the letters from the different churches were read. The number of members added during the year was 551; the clear increase, 275; total number of members, 5,444. In the evening, the public meeting of the Itinerant Society was held, Jas. Richardson, Esq. solicitor, Leeds, in the chair. Addresses were delivered by Messrs. Scott, Williams, Clowes, Foster, Town, Albright, Davis, and others. On Thursday, the prayer-meeting before breakfast, as usual. At half-past ten, Mr. P. J. Saffery preached from Gal. iv. 14: "But received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus." In compliance with the request of the Association, this discourse will be printed as a Circular Letter. In the afternoon, the public business of the Association was transacted; and in the evening, Mr. Davis preached from Deut. xi. 21: "As the days of heaven upon the earth," &c. The services were not only well attended, but the interest sustained

throughout: the last service being as fully attended as any.

MILITARY BAPTISM.-The following singular fact was related by J. L. Phillips, Esq. of Melksham, at the last Annual Meeting of the Bible Translation Society, of which he was the chairman :-"A school-fellow of his had been colonel in a West-India regiment, with 800 men under his command. There was great danger of the men being converted to the Roman Catholic faith: the chaplain, who was anxious to prevent that sad occurrence, consulted with the colonel as to what measures had best be taken. The latter remarked, 'I will make short work of it; I will order out my regiment, and you may go down the ranks and baptize them all.' He did so, and the colonel stood godfather to the regiment.

The colonel

related that fact to a clergyman in his (Mr. P.'s) neighbourhood, who said, 'I do not know how you brought your chaplain to submit; I should have rebelled against your authority.' The colonel replied, "When I was in the West-Indies, I should have liked to have seen any chaplain that would dare to differ from what I commanded. But, after all, I merely did what you do at home: I baptized them first, and taught them afterwards.' The clergyman was puzzled to answer the colonel, and at last he rather thought that he had done right."

THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. -A Portuguese woman in the island of Madeira, named Maria Joaquina, has been condemned to suffer death, solely on account of her having embraced the doctrines of the Protestant faith; nothing else having been brought against her than a denial of worship to images, and of the doctrine of transubstantiation. This is an event of the nineteenth century. How long will professing Dissenters continue to worship the Beast and his Image, by continuing to give even an unwilling support, either to the Infallibility of Rome, or the Supremacy of England?

PERSECUTIONS IN THE FREE CHURCH! !— We deeply regret to see, that Mr. Waddel has been deprived of the ministry in the Free Church without a hearing, and in

the most ignominious way. The charges against him are, Asking the Free Church to take into consideration the voluntary principle! the rights of members! and the clause in their standards authorising magistrates to suppress heresy, &c. by force! and presenting petitions to this effect from himself and congregation! We have waited long, but the Free Church has offered no defence of these lordly and unchristian proceedings.

DIVISION OF THE PARISH OF LEEDS. -The first link of the chain has been forged. The bill for the division of this parish into THIRTY, was, on the motion of Lord Wharncliffe, read a first time in the House of Lords on the 18th ult.

BAPTIST ACADEMY, HORTON. - It may be interesting to many of our readers to be aware, that at the Annual Meeting for the Academy, which will be held on the first Wednesday in August (the 7th), Mr. Aldis, now of Maze-Pond Chapel, London, will preach the sermon.

ITINERANT SOCIETY.-Our churches will be highly gratified to learn, that Mr. Burton has been invited to take the charge of the church at Bingley, as his residence, and to superintend the entire operations of the Society. In conformity with Mr. Burton's express wish, he will also superintend the working of the North and EastRiding Itinerant Society.

BAPTISMS.-On Lord's-day, May 19th, three persons were baptized at Bingley, and in the afternoon of the same day were received into the church. On Lord's-day, June 9th, two candidates at Hall-Green Chapel, Haworth.

STATISTICS OF THE LANCASHIRE ASSOCIATION.

No. 8.]

[PRICE 1D.

"My wife goes to the Baptist Chapel," said a person once to the writer; "but I was brought up to the Church, and I go to it." "Have you then," I asked, “any objection against the Baptists?" "Why, no," was the answer, "not to their worship, but they are so hard to please; look at the Baptists at ever since they lost Mr. no minister has been good enough for them, they've done nothing but dispute."

From very frequent conversations with well disposed Church people, I am certain that the objection alleged above is one which has very strong hold on their minds, and the more so in proportion as they are peacefully disposed. How shall we meet it?

1st. We may meet it argumentatively. We may shew, as the writer did on this occasion, that, fully conceding the evil and the sin of "being hard to please," and "doing nothing but dispute" about ministers, still the State Church attempts to cure the evil by unchristian means. One sin ought not to be prevented by another. The "compulsory church" keeps its congregations quiet by force, and force in religion is sin. Church people do not "dispute" about their ministers because they cannot. To boast of their peace, is to make a merit of necessity. They and their church are the property of the minister; he has either bought them himself, or a Patron for him. If they wished to get rid of him, for the very best reasons, because he was a Puseyite or a foxhunter, because immoral or too weak to teach,

they actually could not; the constable, the lawyer, the gaoler, and the military would prevent them. The peace of compulsory church congregations is a peace "which the world gives," it has no more christian principle in it than contentions among Dissenters. It is the peace of secular law, easily understood, not the "peace of Christ, which passeth all understanding." Nothing can be easier for an intelligent Dissenter than to shew, that "Cæsar" has no right to settle the disputes of the church. By what authority does he such things? Who made him a judge or a divider over christians as

such?

But 2ndly. We may meet it practically, that is, by bettering our practice. If it be carnal to allow the control of worldly governors in the church of Jesus, it is equally carnal to allow the control of worldly tempers. "For whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divi. sions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal ?" (1 Cor. iii. 3, 4.) Let us assure ourselves that a contentious church is, for the time, as bad as a compulsory church. We must "cast this beam out of our own eye, before we shall see clearly to cast the mote out of our brother's eye." We enjoy, indeed, the incalculable advantage, that our churches have "place for repentance." When they see their sin, they may humble themselves before God, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance. This church people cannot do while they remain church